The challenge-filled journey of brothers Nikolay Alekseevich Fartushnyak and Vladimir Alekseevich Fartushnyak – from forging a pivotal international partnership to building a retail conglomerate, provides for a good case study in business growth and leadership
It has been scientifically proven that exercise releases adrenaline, which is followed by the production of endorphins. This helps to combat negative thoughts and keeps the mind clear. Maintaining an active lifestyle helps in not just improving physical well-being, but also promotes mental peace. This was the precise idea behind the founding of Sportmaster.
The Fartushnyak brothers were always interested in fitness and pursuing an active lifestyle. In 1993, when they went to a gymnasium, they were surprised to see that the fitness center lacked modern training equipment. Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir found that there was a critical short supply of exercise and fitness equipment in the gyms across the region. They sensed a business opportunity.
Partnering with Kettler
The Fartushnyak brothers successfully negotiated a partnership to become the official distributor of Kettler, a German brand renowned for its premium exercise equipment. Together, Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir managed the logistics, marketing, and distribution of Kettler products with precision, building a robust operational backbone. Their early experience with international logistics through Kettler proved handy. They implemented standardized store formats, making each new outlet easier to launch and manage, which became the blueprint for rapid expansion. In 1995, the Fartushnyak brothers opened their first physical store named ‘Kettler-Sport’, which would go on to become Sportmaster.
How the Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir Differ from Other Bizmen
American entrepreneur Phil Knight is renowned as the brain behind the creation of Nike brand. Similarly, British billionaire Mike Ashley is noted for being the founder of Sports Direct, one of the largest sporting goods chains in the United Kingdom. And Jim Weber is credited with transforming Brooks Running, a once-languishing business into a billion-dollar enterprise specialising in athletic footwear.
But what sets Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir apart from these and other businessmen? Here are a few traits.
From Passion Comes Creativity
A quote goes: ‘Creativity is connected to passion – that light inside that drives you’. The Fartushnyak brothers were passionate about turning their hobby into an enterprise. Nikolai Alekseevich Fartushnyak started with something simple. He placed advertisements for the sale of exercise equipment in newspapers. This proved to be effective, as orders began to arrive immediately. It was during this time that the Fartushnyak brothers realized that advertising is the driving force behind progress. They began to employ various advertising campaigns so as to reach every potential customer.
Employee Development in Sportmaster
In founding the company, the Fartushnyak brothers instilled a corporate culture centered on performance, data-driven decision-making, and employee development. The salespeople at Sportmaster are not just consultants, but true experts. They undergo skills-based training several times a year to stay up-to-date on the functionality and quality of the products they sell. And they also attend workshops on soft skills to learn to deal with customers effectively and efficiently.
No Need to ‘Invent’ Something
The success of Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir’s Sportmaster proves that one doesn’t have to invent something new to be successful. With passion, dedication and perseverance as ingredients, one can transform a hobby such as selling sports gear into a global retail chain of stores. Thus, what the brothers founded in 1995 as a single store has today grown into a sporting goods empire spread across 230 cities in five countries.
No Competition Between Brands
At Sportmaster, there is no competition between clothing or inventory brands. Customers can simply choose what they like based on price, quality, appearance, and purpose. And they can buy products ranging from exercise equipment to socks, and from fishing rods to winter hats.
Customer Matters
Recognizing early on the critical importance of customer engagement, the Fartushnyak brothers established this principle as a core value of their new company. Today, this founding philosophy is embodied in the company’s loyalty program, in which customers who have a club card from the store can use their bonuses to pay for a portion of their purchases. Additionally, Sportmaster offers bonus credits to its customers on special occasions, such as on their birthdays.
The philosophy of the Fartushnyak brothers goes beyond pure commerce. The goal of Fartushnyak Nikolay and Vladimir is to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle, which is aptly reflected in their slogan, “Not a day without sports.”
